Thursday, July 2, 2015

In business you move with the times. The marketplace is continually changing, and so is technology.

With today's technologies, it is easy to hire others, make sales, expand your business and grow--all from a home office. You can even eliminate the home office and do your business on the run.

Technology of course includes things such as your desktop computer, your fancy phone, and a reliable printer. But it also includes ways to promote and get paid, various shipping possibilities, and more.

Examples: Personal trainers, nutritionists and teachers of all sorts can meet their clients at the clients' homes. So can some holistic healers and massage therapists. Consultants and coaches can start out at home and then grow into private offices. I know a doctor who closed his office and now sees his private patients at their homes--his office is in the trunk of his car.

More examples: Tradespeople have long worked from home offices. This includes electricians, plumbers, locksmiths, cleaners, repair specialists and others. Artists and artisans typically work from home in a barn or attic studio, reaching out to the marketplace to make sales or arrange showings.

In business, you move with the times, and you do whatever is necessary. You are creative and flexible, or you would not be in business

Working from home is an easy way to start a business. I know, I did it myself. Finally, my wife told me in no uncertain terms that I had to get the business out of the dining room.

Example: In my own case, I found that getting the office out of the home was harder than I had imagined. Suddenly I had a monthly rent to pay, an office to maintain, and someone had to see to the cleaning. It was up to me to take out the trash and turn off the lights.

Some businesses cannot be run from home--think machine shops, manufacturers of various types, pizza shops, and others. But a dress shop? Furniture store? You already have competitors on the net.

Whatever your business idea, do that business plan first. And if you are starting out at home, and plan to move out one day, make sure you show the transition in your business plan.